She was Happy
by webbo
Summary: Episode Tag to Chimera. Jack overhears a conversation between Sam and Janet after Sam's date with Pete... **Author nominated for Best New Author on 2014 Sam & Jack Awards


**Author's Note: So I was rewatching the episode Chimera last night. I just have a hard time with O'Neill letting go of a potential future with Sam just because "she was happy with Pete." I think it's a black hole us shippers fall into. She wasn't happy with Pete. Ever. Maybe only during that one date. Then the morning happens, and the stakeout happens and the background check happens, and we shippers want to ship Pete to Netu. I'm just saying…**

**Here is a scene the morning after said date, before the stakeout and before we all find out what kind of a creepy stalker Pete really is…**

Janet Fraiser walked into Sam's lab with two mugs of steaming hot coffee. Sam sat there on her stool, with her body hunched over her bench, hand holding her chin, and a far-off look on her face. Suddenly, Sam's eyes shifted to a different place on the wall and a small smile started to tug at her lips. Clearing her throat, Janet walked towards her friend. Startled, Sam quickly wiped the smirk off her face.

"Janet! Hey!" She turned and reached for the mug Janet was offering.

Janet just stared at her. "Sam?"

"Um?" Sam pretended to read her email.

Janet wasn't fazed. "You were daydreaming. And smiling. By yourself. In your lab." Those were the first words Jack O'Neill overheard as he was coming towards Carter's lab to ask her something about Osiris.

Unable to stop the blush forming on her face, Sam ducked her head, "Jan! Leave me alone" she said in gest, her tone playful. Outside her door, Jack froze.

"Oh come on! Spill!" Janet demanded, sitting at the stool opposite Sam, the lab bench between the two friends. "I take it the date went well?"

Sam looked up and grinned at Janet, "Maybe…"

Janet laughed, "Sam, come on! I'm your best friend! " Outside the door, Jack's frozen form came flush against the wall, his head looking back and forth between the ends of the hallway, making sure no one was seeing his obvious eavesdropping technique.

Licking her lips and eyeing the doorway, Sam leaned her body towards the bench, closer to Janet, "It was wonderful…" she whispered, her eyes sparking.

Across the bench, Janet's eyes widened, and outside the door, Jack's eyes closed, his head dropping. "Go on," Janet urged, just as quietly.

Sam bit her lower lip. "Jan, he brought me roses, took me to dinner, then we went dancing…"

Janet couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jack couldn't believe what he was overhearing. _The guy took her dancing? Where?_

"Oh my god, Sam! Where?" Janet asked, as if hearing Jack's thoughts.

Sam scrunched up her face and grimaced, "Well, that part was really cheesy actually. We crashed a 50th anniversary party. I'm pretty sure we were the youngest couple there." At Janet's incredulous look, Sam added, "I know, it sounds corny, but it was actually…I don't know…Jan I had such a good time…" Sam let out a huge breath, and Janet laughed at her.

Jack had to hold back a sarcastic remark. Surely this Pete guy was the biggest sap around. _He took Sam to a lame anniversary party? And she had fun?_

Janet had calmed down and now looked seriously at her friend. "Sam, I haven't seen you like this in forever. I'm so glad you had a good time." Jack considered Janet's comment and wondered himself when the last time he had heard Sam so relaxed. He wondered this until Janet's next comment came out, "Ok, so how did the night end?"

Sam cleared her throat and raised both eyebrows. Janet's mouth flew open and Sam clicked her tongue, "Yep."

And finally Jack wanted to disappear. He couldn't see the expression on the woman's faces, but he was pretty sure what the previous exchange had meant. Jack swallowed the lump in his throat and ran a hand down his face. He had to get out of here. As he started to move however, he heard Janet yet again, "So, how was it?"

Sam inhaled deeply and cocked her head to the side. She whispered, "It was.." taking another long breath, she cleared her throat unable to hide another smile, "it was nice."

"It was_ nice_? That's all you're going to tell me?" Janet whispered back.

Sam grew serious. "Yes Jan, that's all I'm going to tell you." Then she stood up and walked around the bench towards her friend. "He was sweet, and it was nice to be with someone after…well, a long time" The women shared a knowing look. Janet knew how lonely life could be as a single woman.

_It was nice? This guy is a loser. _Jack had heard enough. He just needed to know one thing.

"Sam, does he make you happy?" Janet asked. Jack was starting to think Janet was telepathic.

Biting her bottom lip again, Sam nodded her head while still thinking, "Yeah Janet, he makes me happy."

Jack took off as soon as he heard the words from her lips. He made his way down the hallway and into the elevator. Sam was happy, and that's all he wanted for her. He had to focus on his work and be a friend to Sam. _To_ _Carter,_ he said to himself. That's all she could be. His subordinate and his friend. The elevator went up and Jack went up with it, not hearing the rest of the conversation below, the disappointing look Janet had given Sam as she described Pete leaving that morning; the look of regret on Sam's face over not being able to share full disclosure with a man that was making her happy; the doubtful tone of the end of the conversation, Sam telling Janet she didn't think Pete would stay for long, not knowing the truth about her day job.

All Jack heard was all he needed to hear: Sam was happy.

**Author's Note: Would love to hear your thoughts on the episode and my story.**

**I've been nominated for Best New Author on the 2014 Sam and Jack Awards website. If you like my story, mosey on over and vote for me!**


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